Individuals with anxiety disorders have previously demonstrated abnormal habituation to aversiveness over time. As anxiety sensitivity (AS), or an individuals' propensity to fear of anxiety-related sensations, has been shown to be a risk factor for anxiety disorders (particularly panic disorder), the present study examined whether AS was also associated with abnormal habituation. This association was examined in two independent samples of undergraduates (Ntotal=178). Habituation was operationalised as the reduction in startle response to multiple startle probes presented over 2.5 minutes and three definitions of this reduction were employed. Results indicated that individuals with higher levels of AS evidenced deficits in startle habituation, but the strength of this relationship was somewhat dependent on the definition of startle habituation, with the most robust definition being an analysis of participants' individual slopes across all nine blinks. The present findings suggest that startle habituation is a key mechanism underlying AS, and may help elucidate the role this risk factor plays in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3778127 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.799062 | DOI Listing |
Nat Commun
January 2025
Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Physical exercise effectively prevents anxiety disorders caused by environmental stress. The neural circuitry mechanism, however, remains incomplete. Here, we identified a previously unrecognized pathway originating from the primary motor cortex (M1) to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) via the ventromedial thalamic (VM) nuclei in male mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOdontology
January 2025
Department of Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Orexin-A (OXA), a neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus, is recognized for its role in modulating orofacial nociception and regulating feeding behaviors, as well as its impact on psychophysiological responses. This study investigated the role of orexin-1 receptors (OX1R) in modulating nociceptive behaviors induced by noxious stimulation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the associated changes in mood and feeding behaviors in rats with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Bilateral cannulation of the lateral ventricles was performed in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTransl Psychiatry
January 2025
Department of Radiology, and Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Despite observational studies linking brain iron levels to psychiatric disorders, the exact causal relationship remains poorly understood. This study aims to examine the relationship between iron levels in specific subcortical brain regions and the risk of psychiatric disorders. Utilizing two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, this study investigates the causal associations between iron level changes in 16 subcortical nuclei and eight major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and insomnia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Neurophysiol
January 2025
Department of Family Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine; University of Calgary; Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4; Canada.
Stress is a fundamental adaptive response mediated by the amygdala and Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. Extreme or chronic stress, however, can result in a multitude of neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety, paranoia, bipolar disorder (BP), major depressive disorder (MDD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Despite widespread exposure to trauma (70.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Affect Disord
January 2025
King's Centre for Military Health Research, King's College London, SE5 9RJ, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, SE5 9RJ, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is governed by of sympathetic and parasympathetic regulatory systems. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may influence these systems and consequently affect cardiovascular functioning.
Methods: The sample consisted of 860 UK male military personnel approximately half of who had sustained physical combat injuries in Afghanistan.
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!